VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY, 249 
office of honorary president should be offered to the head of our 
profession; and whether we should not establish an avowed 
party society by selecting any other gentleman. 
The second objection was, that Mr. Coleman was not a 
member of the society, and therefore could not be president of 
it. Were gentlemen really so ignorant of the constitution of 
eveiy society as not to know that, in nineteen cases out of 
twenty, application is made to some nobleman or member of 
the royal family to accept of a similar office, who was not at 
the time, and otherwise never would have been a member of the 
institution. The question of membership is never mooted. 
The object is to increase the respectability, and secure the pur¬ 
poses of the society. When the nobleman has accepted of the 
proposed office, he qualifies himself to fulfil it, by becoming a 
member. 
It was repeatedly asked, where was the law which, contrary 
to the usages of all other societies, declared that a person must 
be a member of our’s before he could be nominated as honorary 
president ? 
After a stormy debate the motion was put to the vote. The 
numbers on either side were equal, and to our suiq^rise and 
deep regret, the chairman gave the casting- vote against the ap¬ 
plication to Mr. Coleman. 
Mr. J. Percivall was then proposed, who declined the intended 
honour. 
Mr. Joseph Goodwin was next nominated, when it was 
'moved as an amendment, and carried (all disrespect to Mr. 
Goodwin being disavowed), that, considering the excited state 
of feeling which then prevailed in the meeting, the election of 
honorary president should be postponed until the 17th of June. 
Another gentleman then moved an adjournment of the whole of 
the remaining business. This was carried by a very considera¬ 
ble majority. 
Considerable clamour now arose with regard to the subscrip¬ 
tions which had been collected. No officer had been appointed 
with whom the money might be deposited. Many members 
observed, that surely it was safe in the hands of the secretaiy 
pro temp. Others were not so sure of that.” 
2 F 
